(box score)
Widener seized all the momentum in the third quarter and marched to its fourth win in the last five decisions with a 12-5 Middle Atlantic Conference triumph at FDU-Florham in Madison, NJ.
After holding a 4-3 halftime lead during a nip-and-tuck first half, Widener (4-2, 2-0 MAC) changed that by scoring five times in the third quarter for a 9-3 lead. The Pride made a statement by outshooting the Devils 12-5 in the period and freshman goalkeeper Mac Nestler (Chatham, NJ) only had to make one save.
Johnny Casey (Glenside, PA), fellow sophomore Josh Fox (Wynnewood, PA) and senior Andrew Janusz (Easton, PA) scored just over three minutes apart for a 7-3 Pride cushion with 5:14 to go in the quarter. Senior JJ Hoeffler (Cranford, NJ) and Fox found the back of the net in the last 14 seconds of the period.
The unanswered run, which began with 3:01 left in the second quarter when senior Mike Holtz (Easton, PA) scored for a 4-3 game, ended at seven with senior Kevin McLemore (Upper Darby, PA) tallying early in the fourth for a 10-3 margin.
Casey ended with three goals for his second hat trick of the season and Fox closed with two and two assists for the Pride, who amassed a 30-25 shots edge. Nestler ended with five of the team's nine saves.
Adam Koontz scored twice, Billy Deignan had six ground balls and won 12-of-18 face-offs with Dino Vitale making eight saves for the Devils (4-3, 2-1).
The contest was a re-match of the last two MAC finals. The Pride won last season in Madison after the Devils triumphed in 2009.
Widener on Saturday hosts Misericordia at 7:00 pm.
